Chapter 224: Valentine's Day

Wade had long grown accustomed to the seemingly illogical faith everyone at Hogwarts placed in the headmaster's abilities.

After being immersed in this atmosphere for so long, he couldn't help but wonder—

In the original storyline, after Voldemort's resurrection, could Fudge and the others dare to act so recklessly because they also believed that Voldemort would eventually be dealt with by Dumbledore? 

Was that why they focused solely on exploiting the situation for their own benefit?

The thought flashed through his mind, and Wade chuckled self-deprecatingly.

In truth, the reasons didn't matter. This world was simply full of people who, even when holding high positions, were both foolish and malicious. Short-sighted, their eyes could only see their own petty interests.

...

After bidding farewell to Filch, Wade placed the pots of flowers in the umbrella room. He transformed an unused old pen holder into a watering can and gave each pot a bit of water.

Theo saw this and was equally delighted. Together with Ryan, he built some trellises by hand to support the plants' growth. They even shared some fermented dragon dung to fertilize the soil.

When Michael entered, his attention was immediately captured by the pleasant fragrance. After admiring the flowers for a moment, he suddenly remembered to ask, "Where did these flowers come from?"

"Wade brought them," Theo replied, wiping his forehead. This left a streak of dirt across his face.

Michael smirked mischievously and pointed to Theo's face. "Hey, you've got some dirt there."

"Really?"

Theo didn't suspect anything, so he rubbed his face twice, smearing the dirt further and turning himself into a living canvas.

Ryan, who was standing opposite, noticed but said nothing. His shoulders shook as he tried to stifle his laughter.

"Is it clean now?" Theo asked, completely unaware.

"Yeah, yeah, all clean," Michael nodded while suppressing his laughter. He shuffled back to his seat, hid his face behind a book, and let out a few snickers before turning to Wade.

"A girl?"

"Hm?" Wade looked puzzled.

"Don't play dumb." Michael elbowed him with a knowing smirk. "Tomorrow's Valentine's Day—and you've received flowers!"

"Sorry to disappoint you," Wade shrugged. "These are a thank-you gift from Filch—I helped him fix his cleaning crabs."

"...Filch?" Michael fell silent for a moment before suddenly remarking, "Didn't the things you used to make rarely break?"

Wade smiled but said nothing.

Michael understood—though the grouchy caretaker was widely despised, some students had figured out that befriending him could make pranks and nighttime escapades much easier to pull off in the future.

But Filch was notoriously impervious to flattery. Gifts and even gold held no allure for him, and the charming smiles of pretty girls were no more persuasive to him than those of a Blast-Ended Skrewt.

He never cut students any slack for such things. It seemed his sole joy in life was making things difficult for them.

Yet Wade had managed to break this perception.

What's more, it was Filch who had sought Wade's help. That was far more impressive than trying to curry favor with the cantankerous caretaker.

Michael silently gave Wade a thumbs-up.

Wade thought to himself that even if he explained that he genuinely wanted to help Filch, most people probably wouldn't believe him.

But Filch was a Squib, and Wade's parents were also Squibs. Putting himself in Filch's shoes, he could understand just how challenging it must be for someone without magic to find their footing in a magic school.

On top of that, Filch was in his sixties or seventies and still tirelessly handled all sorts of menial tasks. 

Problems that wizards could solve with a flick of their wand took him immense effort, and some kids even went out of their way to make his life harder.

So, even without expecting anything in return, Wade felt compelled to lend him a hand.

…

The next day was Valentine's Day, but for most twelve-year-olds, the holiday was no different from any other day.

Classes went on as usual, though lunchtime did see a wider variety of chocolates than normal.

However, as soon as they entered the Great Hall, an overwhelming sight greeted everyone.

Heart-shaped confetti fluttered down like snow from the enchanted ceiling, while pink flowers adorned the walls. The long tables were almost completely buried under a profusion of blooms.

Mistletoe was wrapped around the candles, and even their flames had turned pink. The overly bright colors filled the space so intensely that it was almost nauseating.

A girl with a sensitive nose sneezed repeatedly and eventually had to flee the Hall altogether.

At the staff table, the person responsible for all this decoration seemed oblivious to the general discomfort. Dressed in a pink robe, he clapped his hands gleefully.

"My dear colleagues, students, and my beloved fans—"

Lockhart winked at the group of girls, clearly pleased by the muffled squeals that followed.

"Happy Valentine's Day! I hope you enjoy the surprise I've prepared for you—"

The Weasley twins simultaneously mimed vomiting.

"—And of course, that's not all! I've also invited some friendly little Cupids to deliver your Valentine's cards!"

Lockhart waved his wand enthusiastically, and the doors suddenly swung open. A procession of dour-faced dwarfs, adorned with golden wings on their backs, marched into the hall.

As they walked down the aisle between the long tables, they plucked harps and crooned sappy love songs in scratchy voices.

Nearly everyone wore expressions of strained tolerance.

"I suddenly don't feel very hungry. I'm leaving," Wade said, putting down his fork. He patted Michael on the shoulder and rose from the table.

"Wait up, I'm coming too," Michael said, grabbing a sandwich. Noticing Padma still gazing dreamily at Professor Lockhart, he felt a sudden twinge of irritation and tugged at her arm.

"Let's go, Padma."

Reluctantly, the girl stood up and followed them out, but she couldn't help commenting as they walked;

"Even if the dwarfs' singing is awful, you have to admit Professor Lockhart put a lot of effort into this. The flowers are really beautiful, and Hogwarts has never had such a romantic Valentine's Day…"

Michael turned to look at her, and asked expressionlessly, "Who are you? Are you Hermione after taking Polyjuice Potion?"

Padma burst into laughter. "Oh my gosh, Michael, you're so adorable when you're jealous!"

"I am not jealous!" Michael retorted stubbornly. "I'm just stating the facts."

"Alright, alright. I'm sorry. I just think pink is very fitting today."

Padma good-naturedly looped her arm through his, and as their shoulders touched, Michael's irritation quickly melted away.

Wade, meanwhile, rolled his eyes and edged farther away from them.

As they reached the door, they could still hear Lockhart's voice booming behind them—

"They'll be roaming the school to deliver your Valentine's cards! … And why not have Professor Snape teach you how to brew a love potion? Or learn from Professor Flitwick how to cast a charm that enchants someone… Oh, that cunning old dog!"

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⭐Harry Potter: Becoming a Study God (HP:BSG)- +206 Chapters & 2 Chapters/Day

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